Tadcaster Albion crumble to Frickley in back-to-back losses

Frickley punished the home side with several swift counter attacks in their 35th consecutive season in the NCEL Premier Division, ending the home side’s unbeaten league run at home.

Despite the end result, the Brewers were the more threatening side going forward in the opening stages.

The first chance came in a neat corner routine, as Alfie Dean rolled a corner along the floor to Junayd Cassius-Gill who set up Kieran Greenway’s drive from the edge of the box, which was blocked.

However, the first goal went to Frickley against the run of play. Jack Varley broke away down the middle and found winger Luke Williams on the left, determinedly sprinting to the touchline to prevent a throw-in.

Level with the penalty area, he took on Mason Wilson and carved out a dipping cross which was headed into the bottom left corner by Robert Guilfoyle at the near post, against his former side.

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Back between the sticks was Sam Green, who came to the home side’s rescue when Joel Spencer beat Greenway to a loose ball deep in Tadcaster territory and slotted a pass into goal scorer Guilfoyle, whose low shot was parried by Green with a strong glove.

Green sprang into action once more on the half-hour mark, after a long ball forward caught out a lunging Elliot Holmes and Guilfoyle gathered the bouncing ball. Putting midfielder Spencer one on one, the Brewers’ keeper produced another fine save to rescue his side from a second Frickley goal.

Tadcaster had a penalty appeal waved away by the referee after Luca Bolino fell inside the box at the end of a trademark run inside from the left wing.

Frickley thought they’d got it in quite spectacular fashion 4 minutes later. Right winger Jack Holden attempted to catch Tadcaster’s back line off guard with another lofted pass towards Guilfoyle.

Stepping in from the right with some great footwork, he found Varley who unleashed a rasping shot from 30-yards out that rattled Sam Green’s crossbar.

Tadcaster Albion pose in their new home shirt. (Image: Keith Handley)

With the momentum having shifted in their favour, Frickley’s second arrived on the stroke of half time.

Tadcaster lost the ball on the edge of their own penalty area after a loose pass, and frontman Guilfoyle pounced on it before going down in the box under contact in the back. Referee Nicholas Greenwood pointed to the spot, and Varley dispatched the penalty powerfully down the middle in front of the away support for a deserved goal.

Tadcaster’s scoring opportunities were few and far between in a disjointed second 45, the flow broken up by a series of free kicks for Mick O’Connell’s men.

Frickley seemed content to remain compact in their own half and threaten on the counter.

Frickley bagged a third on 71 minutes, clearing the ball forward up to the ever-present Guilfoyle who outmuscled Holmes and angled a through ball in behind for substitute and top scorer Harry Spooner. He composed himself before finishing into the bottom right for his third of the season.

Bolino provided a moment of respite for the home fans, charging at Frickley from the middle out to the left before darting back inside on a sparkling run and curving a tidy finish across Blues keeper Adam Hewitson and into the bottom right.

Tadcaster were left frustrated as the full-time whistle sounded; Bolino managed to engineer a chance of his own late on to get his side on the scoresheet, after the Brewers enjoying a bright start to the first half only to fade as the game progressed.

They will hope to return to winning ways as they travel to Boro Rangers on Saturday, August 17 (3PM) in the Emirates FA Cup’s Preliminary Qualifying Round.

Attendance: 230

TADCASTER ALBION: Green, Hardcastle, Wilson, Thirkell, Holmes (Ibrahimi, 72), Kitchen, Cassius-Gill (Robinson, 57), Greenway, Andrew, Dean (Owen, 72), Bolino.

Tadcaster Albion suffered back-to-back losses, and their first of the season on home soil. (Image: Craig Dinsdale)